Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1998-02-09
2001-09-11
Alam, Hosain T. (Department: 2172)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C714S004110
Reexamination Certificate
active
06289345
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims the benefit of Japanese Application No. 9-169335 which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a design information management system, a design information access device and a program memory medium. More specifically, the present invention relates to a design information management system which performs design information management as a data transmission method from a design stage to a manufacturing stage.
For manufacturing devices having various constituent components, the designer (or design group also more generically referred to as the design department) designs the individual components using 3-dimensional CAD software and the like, and delivers drawings of a designed 3-dimensional model data to a manufacturing group (manufacturing department). The manufacturing group, consulting the design information contained in the drawings, performs manufacture of the devices and their constituent components.
In such a design/manufacturing system, the principal technology is typically one of the following:
(a) In work stations loaded with a 3-dimensional modeling system, 3-dimensional model data is managed by independent data management methods.
Management is limited to the individual work stations.
(b) Drawings are prepared as manufacturing data from individual 3-dimensional model data. The manufacturing drawings are managed and intensified for distribution using a separate computer. The printed out paper drawings are then distributed to the manufacturing positions.
(c) The common component data of plurality of devices or components used in common, provides data to the design side based on common component management provision.
The technology involved with option (a) has the following problems:
#1: The same component information is scattered among various workstations, making centralized data management is impossible. This also implies the duplication of work.
#2: When designing components which resemble existing components whose model data are not in the industrial workstations, it is impossible to utilize existing model data.
#3: Because design changes are individually incorporated into the model, it is difficult to grasp the effects of the individual components which constitute the device as a whole. The problem is multiplied when the various individual components are being designed on a high number of different individual workstations.
#4: Because there is no unitary management of the device and components, the change process, etc., of model data is individually carried out.
The technology involved with option (b) has the following problems:
#1: Because the distributed manufacturing data are paper drawings, data has to be transmitted to a workstation, which performs special processing, for practical use of this raw data.
#2: Because the computer used for management of manufacturing drawings and the computer used for creation and storage of the 3-dimensional model data are different, there is no linking relationship between the drawings management information and the 3-dimensional model data.
The technology involved with option (c) has the following problems:
#1: Devices and components using common components cannot be managed.
#2: Notification of changes in common components is slow, increasing development time, hindering of component preparation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide unitary management of design information bulk data, making real time information transmission of device/component data possible.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide smooth data cooperation between the design and manufacturing stages.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.
Objects of the present invention are achieved in a design information management system having a design information metadata for design information management, 3-dimensional model data which cooperates with the metadata. The metadata includes constitution management information which indicates the constitution of the device including the components of the device. The metadata, including constitutional management information, and location information, are stored in a database on a common metaserver. 3-dimensional model data, prepared during the design stage, are stored in bulk servers. The bulk servers may be divided up and assigned to various departments. A design access device used during the design or manufacturing stages, obtains the location data for each constituent component of a device from the metaserver via a network. Based on the location data the design access device extracts, as necessary, the model data from the database of a bulk server which stores the model data.
Objects of the present invention are also achieved in a system, as set forth above, using attribute information, stored in the metaserver, giving user authority information indicating the ability (i.e., propriety) of a user to make changes to a component object. The design information access device, when design information is updated, consults the user authority information.
Objects of the present invention are achieved in a system, as set forth above, using attribute information including information showing whether a component is a common component, i.e., whether the component is used in a plurality of devices or components. The design information access device, when design information is updated, checks whether the updated design information relates to common components. When the component is a common component, the change of the common component is notified to the other users or managers of the common component.
Objects of the present invention are also achieved in a design information access device in which model data is exported/transferred from a bulk server based on constitutional information relating to the device and components which the metaserver manages. An extraction process extracts, in batch form, the model data relating to the component group, i.e., those that have a parent or child relationship to the component at issue.
Objects of the present invention may also be achieved in a program stored on a suitable information medium which a computer can read out. The program accesses constitutional information relating to the devices and components. Attribute information containing information of storage locations of model data of objects relating to these devices and components is stored in a metaserver. Based on the information of storage locations in the attribute information, new or updated model data is imported by the program. Based on the information of storage locations in the attribute information, model data is extracted by the program from the appropriate bulk server and transferred to a requesting workstation.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4809170 (1989-02-01), Leblang et al.
patent: 5490097 (1996-02-01), Swenson et al.
patent: 5528503 (1996-06-01), Moore et al.
patent: 5579231 (1996-11-01), Sudou et al.
patent: 5586254 (1996-12-01), Kondo et al.
patent: 5787000 (1998-07-01), Lilly et al.
patent: 5864482 (1999-01-01), Hazama et al.
patent: 5978804 (1999-11-01), Dietzman
Alam Hosain T.
Fleurantin Jean B.
Fujitsu Limited
Staas & Halsey , LLP
LandOfFree
Design information management system having a bulk data... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Design information management system having a bulk data..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Design information management system having a bulk data... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2470925